In this story
Where: Newsroom → Reader notifications
Before you start
- Push alerts is an add-on. See your plan on keynate.com (Choose a plan).
- Turn notifications on under Settings → Readers & money → Connections → Notifications. Without this, alerts cannot be delivered.
Steps
Set up once
- Open Settings → Site & brand → Add features, find Push alerts. If it shows Buy, buy it first. Wait until it shows On (not Being set up).
- Open Newsroom → Reader notifications and go to Asking readers. Choose when your site asks:
- Ask automatically (browser prompt): recommended.
- Soft prompt first: a small bar of yours first, the browser prompt only after the reader taps Allow. This often gets more yes answers.
- Only from the Alerts button: it never asks by itself.
- Set Wait before asking (seconds). A reader who closes the prompt is asked again after the days you set. A reader who blocked alerts is never asked again.
- Open Rules. Check Alerts per hour and keep An editor approves every alert on if you want a second pair of eyes.
- Save your changes.
Every day
- On Notifications tap New notification.
- Write the Alert title. Keep it short because phones cut long titles. Add text if you want.
- Under Link to a story search a published story. Readers land on it when they tap the alert.
- Choose how urgent it is. Flash goes to every follower of the edition. Breaking goes to followers of the topics you pick. Developing is a gentler alert.
- Choose who gets it. You see how many followers that is. These are counts, not names.
- Check the phone and desktop preview and any warnings.
- Tap Send for approval, or Approve and send now, or Approve and schedule.
- Later open the alert to read the Delivery report.
To send breaking news by itself, open Auto-send and tap Auto-send breaking news. It creates a safe rule. Stop all auto-send now is an emergency stop.
Good to know
- The same alert is not sent twice inside a short time unless you confirm. Hourly limits protect readers from being flooded.
- Sponsored, embargoed, legal-hold and sensitive stories are always skipped by auto-send.
- Opens and taps are counted once per device. Some browsers do not report an open, so only taps may show.
Common problems
- "Notifications are switched off for this site." Turn them on in Settings → Readers & money → Connections → Notifications.
- "Nobody follows this audience yet." Pick a wider audience, or wait until readers follow your topics.
- "A very similar alert went out a short while ago." Check you are not repeating yourself, then choose to send anyway or cancel.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can I take an alert back?
You can withdraw one that is still waiting. Alerts already on phones cannot be removed, but you can send a correction to the same readers.
Why do few readers say yes?
Browsers watch how often readers allow. If Allow rate is low, try Soft prompt first, wait 10 to 20 seconds and use a bar title that says what readers get.
Can an alert go out at night?
Auto-send has quiet hours. You set them, and flash alerts can be allowed to ignore them.